Start a Regular Exercise Program

Here's Why:

Exercise helps keep your body healthy and your tissues and organs working properly. By keeping your body in good working order, exercise also helps ward off many diseases, such as
heart disease
,
stroke
,
type 2 diabetes
,
osteoporosis
, and many others.

Here's How:

In 2008, the United States Department of Health and Human Services released physical activity guidelines for Americans. They recommend that adults should do at least 150 minutes of moderate–intensity or 75 minutes a week of vigorous–intensity aerobic physical activity per week. For additional health benefits, they recommend that adults increase this amount to 300 minutes of moderate–intensity or 150 minutes a week of vigorous–intensity per week.

Your exercise program should include:

Aerobic (Cardiovascular) Exercise

In aerobic exercise, you continually move large muscles in the legs and buttocks. This action causes you to breathe more deeply and your heart to work harder to pump blood, thereby strengthening your heart and lungs.

Getting Started

Before starting an exercise program,
check with your doctor
about any possible medical problems you may have that would limit your exercise program.

Consider making an appointment with a
certified athletic trainer
to help you develop a safe, effective, and enjoyable exercise program. You can find a trainer at a local gym or through a referral from your doctor or a friend. Make sure this person understands your goals and can help you maintain an exercise program that you will enjoy and stick with.

RESOURCES

American Council on Exercise
http://www.acefitness.org

Weight-control Information Network
http://win.niddk.nih.gov

CANADIAN RESOURCES

Canada Safety Council
http://www.safety-council.org

Public Safety Canada
http://www.safecanada.ca

References

2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. United States Department of Health and Human Services website. Available at: http://www.health.gov/paguidelines/guidelines/default.aspx. Accessed February 17, 2014.

Exercise: how to get started. American Academy of Family Physicians website. Am Fam Physician. 2006 Dec 15;74(12):2095-2096. Available at:
http://www.aafp.org/afp/20061215/2095ph.html. Accessed February 17, 2014.

Revision Information

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.